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the king of the Mysians, to be their ally against the emperor Kantakouzenos. For the army of the Persians was also harming his land. And he promised, if they would provide him as payment for the alliance the cities around Stenimachos and Tsepaina, both greater and lesser, and the army stationed in them. And they were nine: Tsepaina and Krichim, Peristitsa, Hagia Justina, Philippopolis, a marvelous and great city, Stenimachos, Aetos, Beadnos, Kosnikos. The army previously numbered over one thousand five hundred; but at that time, since they too had been destroyed by the Roman war, they were a little more than a thousand, all most warlike and inferior to none of the other soldiers serving among the Romans 2.407 in courage. And when they learned of Alexander's demand, they very eagerly handed over the cities, fearing, it seems, that if those men also joined the emperor Kantakouzenos, they would have them as enemies instead of allies and subjects; and so, in comparison, they preferred to have Alexander as a future ally, rather than the emperor Kantakouzenos who was warring against them. Thus they showed every zeal and eagerness that the empire of the Romans not be diminished. However, when Alexander had the cities, they demanded the alliance according to the agreements. But he said that he was not able, as long as the Persians were lingering in Thrace; but if by some means they could persuade them to depart to Asia, then he would campaign most eagerly against Kantakouzenos. This, then, required another preparation and an undertaking of no small kind. Nevertheless, having no other recourse, they turned to this, and secretly sending messengers they negotiated with Amour, promising to give much money, if he would be persuaded by them and return home. But when they were able to accomplish none of their plans, since he considered such promises empty noises, they turned to another plot and a certain Mavrommates from Philadelphia, who had been ordered by the emperor Kantakouzenos to fulfill the daily need of provisions for Amour, this man they persuaded with great promises 2.408 to persuade the Persian army by some means to return to their own land. And he, seeming to be already on good terms with the Persians on account of his service, and also because, speaking Persian, he seemed well-disposed to them, guessing that they were distressed by the long absence from their homes, advised the chief leaders of the army that it was not right to suffer so much for so long a time in a foreign land, having neglected their affairs at home, but that all together they should approach Amour and ask about returning; and to insist that they could no longer remain in a foreign land, since their affairs at home especially required attention. For they had not come there for this purpose, to be with the emperor forever, but after fighting as an ally for as long as was possible, to return again. But now the stay of ten months in the land of the Romans was not a moderate one; "and if he tries again," he said, "to detain you, do not be persuaded, but openly refuse a longer stay. For Amour has decided to be with the emperor here until he manages to overcome his enemies, and he gives much thought to this alone; but of your safety and respite from toils, there is no mention. And if he should use as an excuse a lack of ships in which you might sail away to Asia, I will solve this lack for you. For many will come from Byzantium, in which you will cross over. In addition, they will be grateful to you, and provide money for the departure." Such things 2.409 he advised and urged, being also in accordance with their own opinion. And approaching their satrap, Amour, they discussed the return, just as they had been instructed by Mavrommates. Amour at first was terribly astonished at their words and wondered from where they had been led to such things; then he tried to persuade them that it was necessary to wait still longer, assisting the emperor. For their presence was necessary, since many enemies would immediately attack if they departed, especially those retaliating on account of them; but he accomplished nothing. For they said

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Μυσῶν βασιλέα, ὥστε συμμαχεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ Καντακουζηνὸν τὸν βασιλέα. ἐκάκου γὰρ ἡ τῶν Περσῶν στρατιὰ καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου. ὁ δὲ ὑπέσχετο, ἂν μισθὸν αὐτῷ παρέχωσι τῆς συμμαχίας τὰς κατὰ Στενίμαχον καὶ Τζέπαιναν πόλεις καὶ μείζους καὶ ἐλάττους καὶ τὴν ταύταις ἐγκαθιδρυμένην στρατιάν. ἦσαν δὲ ἐννέα, ἡ Τζέπαινα καὶ ὁ Κροτζιμὸς, ἡ Περιστίτζα, ἡ Ἁγία Ἰουστίνα, ἡ Φιλιππούπολις, πόλις θαυμασία καὶ μεγάλη, ὁ Στενίμαχος, ὁ Ἀετὸς, ὁ Μπέαδνος, ὁ Κόσνικος. στρατιὰ δὲ πρότερον μὲν ὑπὲρ τοὺς πεντακοσίους καὶ χιλίους ἦσαν· τότε δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ πολέμου κἀκείνων διεφθαρμένων, ὀλίγῳ πλείους χιλίων ἦσαν, πάντες μαχιμώτατοι καὶ οὐδένων ἄλλων τῶν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις στρατευομένων λειπόμενοι 2.407 εἰς εὐψυχίαν. οἱ δὲ, ὡς ἐπύθοντο τὴν ἀξίωσιν Ἀλεξάνδρου, παρείχοντο προθυμότατα τὰς πόλεις, δείσαντες, ὡς ἔοικε, μὴ Καντακουζηνῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ κἀκείνων προσθεμένων, πολεμίους ἔχωσιν ἀντὶ συμμάχων καὶ ὑπηκόων· καὶ ὡς ἐν συγκρίσει προτιμήσαντες Ἀλέξανδρον μᾶλλον ἔχειν σύμμαχον ἐσόμενον, ἢ τὸν πολεμοῦντα Καντακουζηνὸν τὸν βασιλέα. οὕτω πᾶσαν ἐπεδείκνυντο σπουδὴν καὶ προθυμίαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων τὴν ἀρχὴν μὴ ἐλασσοῦσθαι. ἐπεὶ μέντοι τὰς πόλεις εἶχεν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος, ἀπῄτουν οὗτοι τὴν συμμαχίαν κατὰ τὰς συνθήκας. ὁ δ' ἔφασκε μὴ δύνασθαι, ἄχρις ἂν οἱ Πέρσαι ἐνδιατρίβωσι τῇ Θρᾴκῃ· ἂν δέ τινι τρόπῳ δύνωνται πείθειν ἀποχωρεῖν εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, τότ' ἤδη Καντακουζηνῷ ἐπιστρατεύσειν προθυμότατα. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἑτέρας ἐδεῖτο παρασκευῆς καὶ πραγματείας οὐ τῆς τυχούσης. ὅμως οὐκ ἔχοντες, ὅτῳ χρήσονται ἑτέρῳ, ἐτράπησαν ἐπὶ τοῦτο, καὶ κρύφα προσπέμποντες διελέγοντο Ἀμοὺρ, χρήματα δώσειν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι πολλὰ, εἰ πειθόμενος αὐτοῖς οἴκαδε ἀναχωρήσειεν. ὡς δὲ οὐδὲν τῶν βεβουλευμένων ἠδύναντο ἀνύειν, τὰς τοιαύτας ὑποσχέσεις ψόφους κενοὺς ἐκείνου λογιζομένου, ἐφ' ἑτέραν ἐτράποντο ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ Μαυρομμάτην τινὰ ἐκ Φιλαδελφείας ὄντα, ὃς ὑπὸ Καντακουζηνοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως προσετέτακτο τὴν καθ' ἡμέραν τῶν ἐπιτηδείων χρείαν τῷ Ἀμοὺρ ἀποπληροῦν, τοῦτον δὴ ἔπεισαν ὑποσχέσεσι μεγάλαις 2.408 τὴν Περσῶν στρατιὰν τρόπῳ δή τινι πείθειν ἀναχωρεῖν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν. ὁ δὲ ἤδη ἐπιτήδειός τε εἶναι Πέρσαις δοκῶν διὰ τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν, ἄλλως θ' ὅτι καὶ Περσιστὶ διαλεγόμενος εὔνους αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει, στοχαζόμενος ὡς ἄχθοιντο διὰ τὴν χρονίαν τῶν οἰκιῶν ἀποδημίαν, συνεβούλευε τοῖς ἡγουμένοις μάλιστα τῆς στρατιᾶς, ὡς οὐ δέον οὕτω τοσοῦτον χρόνον ταλαιπωρεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ξένης, ἀμελήσαντας τῶν οἴκοι, ἀλλ' ἅμα πάντας προσελθόντας τῷ Ἀμοὺρ δεῖσθαι περὶ ἐπανόδου· ἰσχυρίζεσθαί τε ὡς οὐκέτι δύναιντ' ἂν ἐπὶ τῆς ξένης διατρίβειν, τῶν οἴκοι μάλιστα ἐπιμελείας δεομένων. οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐνταῦθα ἀφικέσθαι, ὥστε μέχρι παντὸς συνεῖναι βασιλεῖ, ἀλλ' ἐπιμαχήσαντας ὅσον ἔξεστιν, αὖθις ἀναστρέφειν. νυνὶ δὲ εἶναι οὐ μετρίαν τὴν διατριβὴν ἐπὶ δέκα μησὶν ἐν τῇ Ῥωμαίων γεγενημένην· ἢν δ' ἐπιχειρῇ καὶ αὖθις, ἔφασκε, κατέχειν, ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς μὴ πείθεσθε, ἀλλ' ἀπαγορεύσατε φανερῶς τὴν ἐπιπλέον διατριβήν. Ἀμοὺρ γὰρ οὕτως ἔγνωκεν, ὡς ἐνταῦθα συνεσόμενος βασιλεῖ, ἕως ἂν τῶν πολεμίων παρασκευάσῃ περιγενέσθαι, καὶ τούτου μόνου πολλὴν ποιεῖται τὴν φροντίδα· σωτηρίας δὲ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνακωχῆς τῶν πόνων λόγος οὐδείς. ἂν δὲ νεῶν ἀπορίαν προφασίζηται, ἐν αἷς ἀποπλεύσητε εἰς Ἀσίαν, ἐγὼ ὑμῖν καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἀπορίαν λύσω. ἐκ Βυζαντίου γὰρ ἐλεύσονται πολλαὶ, ἐν αἷς περαιώσεσθε. πρὸς τῷ καὶ χάριν ἐκείνους ὑμῖν εἰδέναι, καὶ χρήματα παρασχέσθαι τῆς ἀναχωρήσεως. τοιαῦτά τε 2.409 παρῄνει καὶ ἔπειθε, κατὰ γνώμην ὄντα καὶ αὐτοῖς. καὶ τῷ σφετέρῳ σατράπῃ προσελθόντες Ἀμοὺρ, περὶ τῆς ἐπανόδου διελέγοντο, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ Μαυρομμάτου ἐδιδάχθησαν. Ἀμοὺρ δὲ πρῶτα μὲν ἐξεπέπληκτο δεινῶς τοὺς λόγους καὶ ἐθαύμαζεν ὅθεν εἰς τοιαῦτα προαχθεῖεν· ἔπειτα ἐπεχείρει πείθειν, ὡς δέον ἔτι περιμένειν ἐπικουροῦντας βασιλεῖ. ἀναγκαίαν γὰρ εἶναι τὴν αὐτῶν παρουσίαν, πολλῶν αὐτίκα ἐπικεισομένων πολεμίων, ἂν αὐτοὶ ἀναχωρῶσι, μάλιστα δι' αὐτοὺς ἀμυνομένων· ἤνυε δὲ οὐδέν. ἔφασαν γὰρ